The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-02-23

purpose of visiting the North on bust
ness which demanded his immediate
attention. He was accompanied by a
second lieutenant of his own regiment.
They succeeded in slipping through the
regular picket lines and had proceeded
some fifteen miles from Nashville
when, to their dismay, they were cap
tured by foraging party of Forests
cavalry. They were taken to Chat
tanooga, whence, after remaining few
days. they were sent to Richmond,
handcuffed and placed under heavy
guard. After remaining at Richmond
for some time Colonel Mclean and his
companion were taken back to Chat
tanooga and lodged in their old prison
quarters. Here he ascertained that he
was considered as a traitor and would
be shot. He called for court-martial,
but that was denied and he was con-
demned to suffer the extreme penalty
of the law. The day before the SEN
tence was to have been put in eXecu-
ton the confederate officer of the day
visited the prison, and to his astonish-
ment, no less than that of Colonel
Mclean, he recognized in the prisoner
an old schoolmate and the companion
of " earlier days and happier hours"
After some conversation the colonel
appealed to his old friend, the con-
federate officer, who was second
lieutenant, to give him an opportunity
of effecting his escape. The rebel
officer yielded, took Mclean by the
hand and said: g Mac, my dear fellow,
pledge me your honor that if captured
in the attempt you are about to make
to escape my name shall not pass your
lips in connection with it," The
promise was of course freely given.
The lieutenant then told him that at
six o'clock that evening certain
window, which he pointed to, would be
left unfastened on the outside, and at
that hour he would see that the guard
was so placed that he Qhe coloneD
would not be observed if he attempted
to gain his liberty. AT the hour
named, true to his promise, his rebel
! friend unfastened the window and had
ordered the guard to another beat
Colonel Mclean then let himself down
from the window, ran along the shadow
of the prison wall and made his way to
the back of the town. In this he found
little difficulty, for the reason that his
friend had provided him with rebel
uniform and he was as ragged as any
rebel in the service. He then made
for the Tennessee river and padded a
" dug-out " to Stevenson, Ala. When
the confederates left Stevenson he came
with them as far as the Nashville pike,
but when within a few miles of Nash
vile he heard that the place had been
captured by Forrest. He quickly re-
traced his steps, struck off in another
direction, crossed the Tennessee river
at Johnsonville and entered the federal
lines, which were on the opposite bank
Being still in the rebel uniform he was
at once captured as a rebel prisoner
and the explanation made to his captors
was laughed at as ridiculous He began
to doubt to which side he really did
belong. Taken before a subordinate
officer, he stated that he was Colone
Mclean of the Second Tennessee; that
he had been captured by the rebels ant
sentenced to be shot, but had fortu
nately effected his escape. But his story
was not believed. The colonel was
suspected as a spy. The officer tolt
him that his story would not do
that he had been shot by the rebels {
week before. He was then placed il
irons and put under heavy guard, bu
before any more serious consequence
arose from this mistake, and to hi
! great Joy, he was recognized by some
friends and restored to freedom.